By Tom Withers The Associated Press
CLEVELAND – Cliff Lee gave Cleveland’s banged-up bullpen some needed rest, and Jhonny Peralta hit a three-run homer to give the Indians a 7-1 win over the Boston Red Sox yesterday night.
Lee (2-1) allowed one run and four hits in six innings, helping the Indians end a three-game losing streak and win for just the fifth time in 14 games.
The left-hander’s quality start was only the second in eight games for Cleveland’s staff, which has three relievers on the disabled list and is still waiting for ace C.C. Sabathia to get back from the DL.
Lee was aided by two double plays and he worked out of trouble in the third and sixth innings. Jason Davis pitched two scoreless inning and Bob Wickman finished up the five-hitter.
Wily Mo Pena homered for Boston, which lost for the first time in seven games at Jacobs Field.
The Indians took a 3-0 lead in the first on Peralta’s homer off Tim Wakefield (1-4), and they were also helped by four passed balls charged to Boston’s Josh Bard, who spent the night chasing pitches back to the screen.
Two of Cleveland’s runs were unearned because Bard couldn’t corral floaters by Wakefield, who gave up three runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Cleveland was able to take advantage of Wakefield’s soft tosses, stealing three bases to match their season total through 20 games.
